Rifle grenades and the like



Jime 15,1965 G. WYSER RIFLE GRENADES' AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6. 1964 J 15, 1965 G. 'WYSER 3,188,959

RIFLE GRENADES AND THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 43, 4 Claims. (Cl. 102 ss.2

The present invention relates to grenades to be launched from the barrel of a firearm, such grenades comprising, at the rear part thereof, a launching sleeve carrying a set of fins. The invention is more especially but not exclusively concerned with grenades to be launched by means of a rifle.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a grenade of this type which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice.

In such a grenade there is provided, at the rear thereof, a foldable sight plate capable of pivoting from a stable retracted position, where it is applied against the launching sleeve of the grenade, to the firing position, is also stable, in which it extends transversely to the axis of said launching sleeve. The invention consists in constituting the pivot axis of said sight plate by the base of a U-shaped clip the side branches of which are folded back to form extensions extending in directions nearly opposed to said side branches, said clip being disposed and arranged in such manner that, on the one hand, it is approximately parallel to the axis of the grenade launching sleeve, the lateral branches of said clip being directed toward the rear, and their extensions toward the front so that each lateral side branch of the clip and its extension fit resiliently on the trailing edge of a fin of the grenade fin unit.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a grenade according to the present invention, the sight plate being shown in solid lines in active position and in dotted lines in folded position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, with parts cut away, the sight plate in FIGS. 2 and 3 being shown in folded position.

The grenade according to the present invention comprises a head forming the grenade proper and, at the rear thereof, a cylindrical launching sleeve 1 adapted to be fitted, for firing, on a part of the firearm, consisting for instance of the muzzle brake thereof. This launching sleeve carries the usual fins 2. The grenade is to be fitted, on the rear of its launching sleeve 1, with a sight plate 3 capable of passing, by pivoting about an axis XX perpendicular to the axis YY of launching sleeve 1, from a stable retracted position (shown in dotted lines by FIG. 1) where it is applied against said launching sleeve 1, to a stable firing position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 1) where it extends at right angle to axis YY.

According to the main feature of the invention the pivot axis about which sight plate 3 is mounted consists of the base 4a of a U-shaped clip substantially parallel to the axis X-X and the rearwardly extending side branches 4b of which are bent back to form frontwardly directed extensions 40. Thus holding means formed by each side branch 41) and its extension 40 resiliently engage the trailing edges of two consecutive fins of the grenade.

Such a clip is advantageously made of a flexible steel wire.

It will already be appreciated that such a fixation of nite States te 3,188,959 Patented June 15, 1965- sight plate 3 at the rear of the grenade has the following advantages:

That of ensuring a good protection against shocks of the pivot axis 4a of sight plate 3, owing to the fact that said axis remains inside the space between the two adjacent fins on which the clip is mounted;

That of ensuring an accurate positioning of said pivot axis;

That of being of particularly simple construction;

That of permitting an easy fitting of the sight plate on the rear part of the grenade;

That of considerably reducing the risks of deterioration or tear-ing off of the sight plate when it is in retracted position;

That of permitting van easy ejection of the sight plate when the grenade is fired;

And chiefly that of combining the above stated advantages with a complete independence of the fixation device of the sight plate with respect to the fixation means of fins 2, which means may consist for instance of a resilient holding ring 5 engaged in a groove provided in launching sleeve 1.

Instead of having the clip secured by its resilient engagement on two adjacent fins 2, it seems preferable, in order to reinforce the fixation and to determine more accurately the position of the sight plate, to provide the clip with two projections capable of engaging respectively in holes provided in the two fins upon which the clip is secured.

Such projection may be constituted for instance, by hooks 4d provided at the ends of extensions 4c, said hooks having their convexity turned toward the inside of the clip. Each of said hooks comes, when the slip is suitably fitted, to engage into a hole 6 provided in the corresponding fin.

Such holes 6 may be provided in all the fins, both to ensure a good balance and also to facilitate the fitting of the sight plate which can thus be mounted between any two adjacent fins.

In order to give a stable character to the retracted position and the firing position of sight plate 3, it is possible, according to the invention, to proceed as follows.

In order to hold plate 3 in the firing position, said plate is provided at the lower end thereof with a fiat face 7 which, when resiliently applied (by the flexible arms of the clip) against the external wall of sleeve 1, holds plate 3 in a position at right angles to axis YY, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1

In order to hold plate 3 in folded position, it is provided with an abutment 8 (FIG. 3) such that when it is resiliently applied (by said flexible side branches ofthe clip) against the outer wall of sleeve 1, it holds plate 3 applied against said wall (position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3).

In a general manner, while the above description discloses what is deemed to be a practical and efiicient embodiment of the present invention, said invention is not limited thereto, as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts Without departing from the principle of the invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. For use in a firearm having a barrel, a grenade to be fitted on said ba-nrel which comprises, in combination, a launching sleeve adapted to be mounted on said barrel, a plurality of radial fins secured to said sleeve, 21 U- shaped clip including a base extending across said sleeve transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof and between two of said fins consecutive to each other and two side branches extending rearwardly from the ends of said base substantially parallelly to said axis, said two side branches being bent back to form two extensions extending frontwardly and substantially parallel to said axis, each of said side branches and the corresponding extension being caught and releasably held by the rear edge of one of said two fins and a sight plate pivotedto said base and extending in a plane passing through'said base.

2. For use in a firearm having a barrel, a'grenade to be fitted on said barrel which comprises, in combination, a launching sleeve adapted to be mounted on said barrel, a plurality of radial fins secured to said sleeve, at least two of said fins, consecutive to each other, being provided with holes, a U-shaped clip including a base extending across said sleeve transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof between said two fins, and two side branches extending reanwardly from the ends of said base substantially parallelly to said axis, said two side branches being bent back to form two extensions extending frontwarclly and substantially parallel to said axis, each of said side branches and the corresponding extension being caught and releasably held by the rear edge of one of said two fins and two hooks at the ends of said extensions adapted sleeve. References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 3,056,352 10 /62 Vilbojo. 102-652 4 to engage in said holes, and a sight plate pivoted to said base and extending in plane passing through said base.

3. A grenade according to claim 1 further comprising, at the base of said sight plate, an abutment capable, when it is applied against the outer wall of said launching sleeve of resiliently holding said plate in a direction at right angles to the axis of said sleeve.

4. A grenade according to claim 1 further comprising, at the base of said sight plate, an abutment adapted to be resiliently applied against the outer wall of said sleeve for resiliently holding said plate applied against said BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

FRED C. MATTERN, IR., Examiner. 

1. FOR USE IN A FIREARM HAVING A BARREL, A GRENADE TO BE FITTED ON SAID BARREL WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, A LAUNCHING SLEEVE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID BARREL, A PLURALITY OF RADIAL FINS SECURED TO SAID SLEEVE, A USHAPED CLIP INCLUDING A BASE EXTENDING ACROSS SAID SLEEVE TRANSVERSELY TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF AND BETWEEN TWO OF SAID FINS CONSECUTIVE TO EACH OTHER AND TWO SIDE BRANCHES EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE ENDS OF SAID BASE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS, SAID TWO SIDE BRANCHES BEING BENT BACK TO FORM TWO EXTENSIONS EXTENDING FRONTWARDLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS, EACH OF SAID SIDE BRANCHES AND THE CORRESPONDING EXTENSION BEING CAUGHT AND RELEASABLY HELD BY THE REAR EDGE OF ONE OF SAID TWO FINS AND A SIGHT PLATE PIVOTED TO SAID BASE AND EXTENDING IN A PLANE PASSING THROUGH SAID BASE. 